The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-05-26
The Extra Session.

ut home EoW trying to explain away the
harm they have done to the Commonwealth
during the past two months, 1t viii be Il
diflicult task-more difficult than any that
has yet been undertaken in this politician
cursed State Of ours. The utter incapacl
ty, deception, extravaganza and fraud of
tris legislature is monumental. The re-
cord is IA ord OF unfaithful stewardship, |
and OF useless and indefensible waste
Of the peoples money, without a single |
compromising good to the State.
In lis message addressed to the Legisla-
at its assembling in extra session,
Governor called attention to the three
subjects which in his Judgment, justified
a call Of the law making body, Briefly
stated they were =
Ist. To consider the condition of the
debt of the Commonwealth and the results
growing out of the decision of the Supreme
Court of The T. S. in the drummers7 Ii
cense case.
I'd 10 receive and adopt the new Code.
ga To make provision for the more COM
the emptying Of the jlils of the Common
wealth now crowded with helpless luna:
ties
The Governor knew at the time he issued
his call. that an extra session would neces-
sarily cost the Commonwealth over $50. 900
to say nothing of the numerous schemes
| that would inevitably result III huge drafts
upon The State revenues which the condi-
| ton OF the treasury would not warrant.
Yet. in the teeth of this knowledge, he
issues his call, the Legislature assemblies,
and after tNomonthS deliberati0n and the
expenditure of near $500, 900, adjourns,
leaving practically untouched the very leg
islation the necessity for which was the
excuse for converting,
Ii amy thing, the condition of the State
in respect to its debt, is worse to-day than
ever before. The extra session has but
COMPOUNDED confusion. The conference
NOT only ended in nothing, but it demon
strated that there was not patriotism
enough in the dominant legislative party
to really seek to extricate The State from
the embarrassments that are pressing her
to the earth. The people of Virginia were
not allowed to approach the agents Of Viz
ginia' S creditors. A self-appointed parti-
IAN faction'of minority party posed as
delegated representatives of the States
interests, and succeeded in making itself
ridiculous. The proceedings OF the CON
ference WAS a farce, and during It's prog
ress and after its close the members there
of returned to the legislative hall to enact
laws in defiance of the highest judicial
authority. and pay big salaries TO EN-
poy assistant Attorney Generals to fight
the supreme Court of the United States.
IL they know anything, they must know
that such contests can only end in the fu-
ture as they have in the past, in piing up
\ costs against the State, complicating the
difficulties that surround her, and imped-
ing the inflow Of the capital and enterprise
which alone can lift her from her PROSTATE
condition.
SO much for the debt. AS to the effect
of the 1rummers' license decision, rot one
thing was done to relieve our home mer-
chants from the unjust and Onerous dis
elimination placed upol them by the high
est court. Not an effort has been made to
conform the State laws to the change in
the revenue system, brought about by the
= decision Instead Of manfully facing the
( issue. recognizing the force and effect of
the decision, and addressing itself to de-
- visng means, for placing our merchants
on a level with their foreign competitors,
O the legislature contenJed itself with de-
F nouncing the decision, and placing the
f State in open defiance to the highest court,
r There is and can be 20 excuse for such
shameful neglect Of duty. 1t looks as if
all of the revenues of the State were to be
o devoted to feeling lawyers to contend for
s flagrant violations Of the constitution.
The reception of the Code was another
reason assigned for the extra session, and
vet the members of the legislature were
: not even permitted to have the Code read
in their hearing. 1t was RECEIVED from
the revisors without practical change, end
, | adopted without consideration. 1t cannot
lye ready before the assembling of the next
legislature, anQ COblu JUST DIS well Ha'c
remained for adoption al the regular SEES.
SLOT.
The plea for the more comfortable main
tenance of the insane was disle garded.-
NJ effort worthy of the name Was made
: 10 remove the helpless lunatics from the
jails. and beyond a few thousand dollars
appropriated Cor improvements about the
asylums, nothing whatever was done TO
relieve the condition of these unfOrtunates
whose sad lot so sorely demands relief,
Instead of attending to the matters
Which lie interests of the State require,
= the whole session was frittered away in
multiplying law suits, forwarding rail- Dad
, schemes, and endeavOring to make party
capital Over q quarter of million OF
the peoples money was spent, and 10 re-
turn for it the condition of the State is Far
= worse than it was at the opening of the
session.
1t is time that those who pay the taxes
and bear the burdens of government were
giving q little mere attention to the char
: acter of the men they send TO Richnond to
, represent them.